How Imam Hussain (A.S) has inspired me in life

On January 17th 1999 I entered into this world by the grace of Allah (S.W.T.) on that very moment my father instilled the love of the Ahlulbayt into my heart by reciting two verses: Ash-hadu anna Aliyan wali-ul-lah and Ash-hadu anna Aliyan Hujjattullah. From these two verses my love of the Ahlulbayt was created and my life as a Shi'a muslim was just about to begin. My family replicated exactly what the Prophet (S.A.W.W.) did when Imam Hussain was born on the 3rd of Shabaan 3 A.H. On the 7th day after my birth my family shaved my head and slaughtered a sheep and gave the equivalent weight of my hair in silver to sadaqah. Where did we learn this from? Prophet Muhammad did this to Imam Hussain when he was born and it is now performed on every child born.

From a young age I knew that Imam Hussain sacrificed his life to save the true message of Islam from the tyrant Yazid but as I grew older the true meaning of Karbala and Ashura started to become apparent to me. Imam Hussain didn't only sacrifice his life, he sacrificed the life of his family and children. He sacrificed the life of Hazrat Abbas, and he sacrificed the life of his eldest son Ali Akhber and also the son of Imam Hassan; Hazrat Qasim. Imam Hussain (A.S) has inspired me in life because even before Imam Hussain entered the land of Karbala he had to embark on a journey that spanned seven months and Imam had to make 24 stop-overs. The journey from Makkah eventually ended in Karbala where Imam would become a martyr. I cannot begin to imagine how Imam would have persuaded himself to leave Madinah: his hometown, the burial place of his mother Fatima (A.S) and the burial place of his grandfather; the Prophet of Allah, the seal of the Anbiya, Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.W.). So why did Imam leave Madinah? Imam Hussain is an infallible and is loved by Allah. Imam Hussain left Madinah for us; he wanted the true Shia to be saved on the Day of Judgement.

How have I carried the inspiration of Imam Hussain to my life? I am proud to be called a Hussaini and follow in the way of Bibi Zainab and recite Azadari about Imam Hussain and the events that took place in Karbala. Reciting in the centre has given me confidence to give speeches and debates in school. Reciting Nohas and Mataams about Imam Hussain has allowed me to propagate the message of Islam and educate my school friends about Islam and its true meanings not the Islam that they see on the media with Osama Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda and "Muslim" suicide bombers. I am keen to go to the centre everyday in the ten days of Muharram and mourn for Imam Hussain because Imam sacrificed his life to save Islam for us and Inshallah when Imam Mohammad Mehdi (A.S.) arrives I can replicate what Imam Hussain did and assist Imam Mehdi with establishing an Islamic government. Ya Hussain Zindabaad.

Word count: 524